Marguerite
Active Member
We have one of the cast members' mothers keeping tabs on the film's progress. She just emailed us with thw following link:
<http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117989983.html?categoryid=13&cs=1&query=the+black+balloon>http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117989983.html?categoryid=13&cs=1&query=the+black+balloon
She added the message to our kids - "You guys are now international stars!"
To update - the film is a really good, award-winning feature film starring Toni Collette, Gemma Ward (teen supermodel turned darn good actress), Rhys Wakefield (Aussie soap star and impossibly good-looking hunk) and as Charlie, Luke Ford (also impossibly good-looking, about to star as the now-adult Alex in "Mummy III").
The film is about Thomas's struggle with moving to another new town (Dad is in the army) and coping with new school, liking a girl - and having a profoundly autistic teenage brother, Charlie. He tries to keep quiet about any connection with Charlie but when his pregnant mother has to take things easy, Thomas has to take on a bigger role as carer.
It's NOT "Gilbert Grape" in any way. It deals with the emotions of it all, the discrimination, the judgementss of other people but it's not bleak. Just when you think it's getting too heavy to take, something lightens it and you find yourself caught up in those "moments" we all have as parents of difficult children, when you say to yourself, "nobody would believe this - but it's funny."
Luke and Rhys went out in public in character, which was challenging for Luke especially. He reported how horrified he was at the discrimination they experienced as well as the times a group of young boys especially would deliiberately try to stir him up to trigger a meltdown, in someone who clearly needed compassion and not torment. And this was just the research!
Where do our kids come in? A pivotal scene towards the end of the film (it's referred to in the beginning and it builds towards this through the film) is a musical production of Noah's Ark by Charlie's autism school. To make this segment, a call went out in Sydney via the autism associations and disability support groups for autistic teens and their siblings, aged 13-24. difficult child 3's local drama group were on the email list and when I rang the contact (Claire - she turned out to be the segment producer, choreographer and also in the film) I mentioned easy child 2/difficult child 2's circus skills as stiltwalker and how it could come in handy as a giraffe.
So we turned up to the audition, dragging along our entire reason/alibi - our autistic difficult child 3. He was so reluctant that when we finally met Claire, difficult child 3 announced, "I don't want to do this. I don't want to be in it."
Normally that doesn't go down too well at an audition!
So Claire3 talked to the other two (easy child 2/difficult child 2 and difficult child 1) and they WERE keen. The giraffe - we had to find another stiltwalker somewhere but they were going ahead on the off-chance (they did find one later). difficult child 1 got to choose his favourite animal - a bird. His favourite bird, the Aussie Wedge-Tailed Eagle, was not an option (too scary) but they gave him Rainbow Lorikeet (difficult child 1 calls them "crazy birds").
Claire talked to all the kids about what sort of character each animal was. Koalas were stoners, for example. Giraffes are the lookouts, the curious ones. And the lorikeets - the soccer hooligans, the thugs of the bird world.
The kids rehearsed for three months for what we originally believed to be a zero-budget student film. The cast of the Noah's Ark "Afloat!" segment were all autistic kids and siblings, all mixed together. We already knew most of them, a few other faces were there too (including Luke, Rhys occasionally and Fidrass, plus a couple of girls - these were all "main cast"). Our kids mingled with everyone. We all thought Luke and Fidrass really were autistic and wondered how they would cope since they seemed quite severely so. But during breaks when the kids chatted, they clearly seemed together and 'normal'. And of course, Luke and Fidrass WERE acting. Just darned good at it.
And difficult child 3, who kept saying, "I don't want to do it. I won't dress as an animal. I hate dressing up." He was cast as Noah, the ultimate wildlife warrior. And on the day of filming - he was spot on with his timing and lines. He had to begin the scene which meant he was up on the stage, alone, waiting for the cue each time. Take after take. Toni Collette personally congratulated him afterwards for being so professional and not making a single mistake in a morning full of takes.
We've been told the DVD will have "Making of 'Afloat!'" in the Special Features. The kids were filmed during rehearsals, costume fittings etc. Some parents were also interviewed. I wasn't, I was happy to stay in the background.
Our three kids were also in the dress rehearsal segment about halfway through the film, but it's mostly a background shot. difficult child 3 was the smallest and youngest at time of shooting. He's grown a lot since then - the director Elissa commented when she saw us at the preview.
Elissa not only directed, she wrote the script. It's based on her own experiences growing up an army brat with two autistic brothers. The segment where Thomas is chasing Charlie down the street, both boys in underpants, was something that really happened to her with her brother. I'm not giving anything away - that scene is in the preview which has been released online.
We met Elissa's brother (on whom Charlie is based) and also her mother.
It's a fabulous film. A great film for teens (whether or not they have to deal with disability). A marvellous, uplifting but earthy film for those with disabled or difficult kids. Teachers, health professionals - it will give them a dose of what real life is like for families. It shows people making mistakes as well as getting it right.
There was a local screening (nothing to do with our local kids being involved, the screening organisers didn't know) and I took psychiatrist and psychiatrist's daughter. At 9, the little girl did find some of the violence (fights between the brothers) a bit confronting, but she was OK with it. As I said, it is real. And despite the positive ending, psychiatrist had tears pouring down her face when the lights came up. It's not sad - but it IS emotional at times, perhaps because it is so real.
I would be recommending this film anyway. I think Luke should be nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of Charlie (as long as he's not competing with Heath Ledger).
But three of my kids are also in the film, with screen credits.
So watch for it.
Marg
<http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117989983.html?categoryid=13&cs=1&query=the+black+balloon>http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117989983.html?categoryid=13&cs=1&query=the+black+balloon
She added the message to our kids - "You guys are now international stars!"
To update - the film is a really good, award-winning feature film starring Toni Collette, Gemma Ward (teen supermodel turned darn good actress), Rhys Wakefield (Aussie soap star and impossibly good-looking hunk) and as Charlie, Luke Ford (also impossibly good-looking, about to star as the now-adult Alex in "Mummy III").
The film is about Thomas's struggle with moving to another new town (Dad is in the army) and coping with new school, liking a girl - and having a profoundly autistic teenage brother, Charlie. He tries to keep quiet about any connection with Charlie but when his pregnant mother has to take things easy, Thomas has to take on a bigger role as carer.
It's NOT "Gilbert Grape" in any way. It deals with the emotions of it all, the discrimination, the judgementss of other people but it's not bleak. Just when you think it's getting too heavy to take, something lightens it and you find yourself caught up in those "moments" we all have as parents of difficult children, when you say to yourself, "nobody would believe this - but it's funny."
Luke and Rhys went out in public in character, which was challenging for Luke especially. He reported how horrified he was at the discrimination they experienced as well as the times a group of young boys especially would deliiberately try to stir him up to trigger a meltdown, in someone who clearly needed compassion and not torment. And this was just the research!
Where do our kids come in? A pivotal scene towards the end of the film (it's referred to in the beginning and it builds towards this through the film) is a musical production of Noah's Ark by Charlie's autism school. To make this segment, a call went out in Sydney via the autism associations and disability support groups for autistic teens and their siblings, aged 13-24. difficult child 3's local drama group were on the email list and when I rang the contact (Claire - she turned out to be the segment producer, choreographer and also in the film) I mentioned easy child 2/difficult child 2's circus skills as stiltwalker and how it could come in handy as a giraffe.
So we turned up to the audition, dragging along our entire reason/alibi - our autistic difficult child 3. He was so reluctant that when we finally met Claire, difficult child 3 announced, "I don't want to do this. I don't want to be in it."
Normally that doesn't go down too well at an audition!
So Claire3 talked to the other two (easy child 2/difficult child 2 and difficult child 1) and they WERE keen. The giraffe - we had to find another stiltwalker somewhere but they were going ahead on the off-chance (they did find one later). difficult child 1 got to choose his favourite animal - a bird. His favourite bird, the Aussie Wedge-Tailed Eagle, was not an option (too scary) but they gave him Rainbow Lorikeet (difficult child 1 calls them "crazy birds").
Claire talked to all the kids about what sort of character each animal was. Koalas were stoners, for example. Giraffes are the lookouts, the curious ones. And the lorikeets - the soccer hooligans, the thugs of the bird world.
The kids rehearsed for three months for what we originally believed to be a zero-budget student film. The cast of the Noah's Ark "Afloat!" segment were all autistic kids and siblings, all mixed together. We already knew most of them, a few other faces were there too (including Luke, Rhys occasionally and Fidrass, plus a couple of girls - these were all "main cast"). Our kids mingled with everyone. We all thought Luke and Fidrass really were autistic and wondered how they would cope since they seemed quite severely so. But during breaks when the kids chatted, they clearly seemed together and 'normal'. And of course, Luke and Fidrass WERE acting. Just darned good at it.
And difficult child 3, who kept saying, "I don't want to do it. I won't dress as an animal. I hate dressing up." He was cast as Noah, the ultimate wildlife warrior. And on the day of filming - he was spot on with his timing and lines. He had to begin the scene which meant he was up on the stage, alone, waiting for the cue each time. Take after take. Toni Collette personally congratulated him afterwards for being so professional and not making a single mistake in a morning full of takes.
We've been told the DVD will have "Making of 'Afloat!'" in the Special Features. The kids were filmed during rehearsals, costume fittings etc. Some parents were also interviewed. I wasn't, I was happy to stay in the background.
Our three kids were also in the dress rehearsal segment about halfway through the film, but it's mostly a background shot. difficult child 3 was the smallest and youngest at time of shooting. He's grown a lot since then - the director Elissa commented when she saw us at the preview.
Elissa not only directed, she wrote the script. It's based on her own experiences growing up an army brat with two autistic brothers. The segment where Thomas is chasing Charlie down the street, both boys in underpants, was something that really happened to her with her brother. I'm not giving anything away - that scene is in the preview which has been released online.
We met Elissa's brother (on whom Charlie is based) and also her mother.
It's a fabulous film. A great film for teens (whether or not they have to deal with disability). A marvellous, uplifting but earthy film for those with disabled or difficult kids. Teachers, health professionals - it will give them a dose of what real life is like for families. It shows people making mistakes as well as getting it right.
There was a local screening (nothing to do with our local kids being involved, the screening organisers didn't know) and I took psychiatrist and psychiatrist's daughter. At 9, the little girl did find some of the violence (fights between the brothers) a bit confronting, but she was OK with it. As I said, it is real. And despite the positive ending, psychiatrist had tears pouring down her face when the lights came up. It's not sad - but it IS emotional at times, perhaps because it is so real.
I would be recommending this film anyway. I think Luke should be nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of Charlie (as long as he's not competing with Heath Ledger).
But three of my kids are also in the film, with screen credits.
So watch for it.
Marg
I admit it, I go to websites where I can watch movies and download movies for free. Okay, I'm an internet thief, and I am freely admitting it here and now. 
I can't really afford to go to the movies and nothing beats the comfort of my own home to watch a movie. I have seen so many first run movies in the last few months that I never would have been able to see. 
